BEFORE PORT WORKERS Duterte concedes destiny will prevail

by Chito A. Fuentes

Mayor Rody Duterte brings his case for Federalism to port workers in Cebu (YAPPY Photo)

CEBU CITY – “Ug mao nay imong kapalaran, wa kay mabuhat (If that is your fate, you cannot do anything about it),” conceded Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

This was the closest Duterte came to acknowledging that the possibility of him becoming president is not entirely impossible.
Duterte maintained his stance that he was “not interested” in the presidency.

“What will I do with that?” he asked.

The stony silence from his listeners who cheered lustily when he was introduced as the next president of the country meant this was not what they wanted to hear.

Duterte was the guest speaker at a meeting called by the Oriental Port and Allied Services Corp. (Opascor) attended by more than 400 officials and members led by lawyer Tomas Riveral.

Like all his previous speaking engagements, Duterte went back all the way to the arrival of Ferdinand Magellan to explain the continued refusal of Moslems to submit to efforts to subjugate them.

The mayor said the reason why he is going around is to raise the people’s level of awareness particularly on the possibility of violence in Mindanao if the Bangsamoro Basic Law fails.

Duterte insisted that his advocacy for federalism is the only reason why he has embarked on a nationwide tour.

The mayor regaled his audience with stories about his efforts to curb criminality in Davao which was recently declared the 9th safest city in the world.

This distinction was given to Davao by Numbeo, the world’s latest database of user contributed data about cities and countries worldwide.

His audience cheered him on each time he talk of episodes about his encounter with drug offenders, criminals and rogue cops.

At the close of his talk, Duterte recited passages from Ecclesiastes, noting that there was a time for everything under the sun.

The mayor alluded to the role that destiny plays in people’s lives - including the making of a president.

“If it is not your destiny, you won’t become president no matter what you do,” he stressed.

Recognizing this, Duterte admitted that destiny will prevail.

YAPPY Photo at OPASCOR meeting with Mayor Rody Duterte

“Let us see,” the mayor said cryptically, a sign which his audience quickly understood as having to do with a possible presidential run.

Lusty cheering and wild applause erupted, prompting Duterte to chide them for “premature” celebration. 

At the start of his talk, Duterte said he has a dream - an allusion to his advocacy for federalism in the country.

When he was through, it was obvious he had turned his listeners to dreamers - that he will heed the call to champion the cause of law and order and turn this country around like what he did in Davao.

The long line of people waiting to shake his hand and pose for a selfie with him could only mean that dream is no longer impossible. (CHITO A. FUENTES)